It's always a good day when there's a Hoopoe about! Singles have been recorded daily between 6-10th across Benjamin's Chair, Quarter Wall west, Airfield and the Castle. A Wryneck near Old School on 8th was an added thrill, along with a gently reeling Grasshopper Warbler in St John's Valley on 9th. The first Whitethroat featured on 7th, opening the doors to daily occurrence in small numbers ever since. Following the earliest ever Lundy Sedge Warbler back on 28th Feb, the next record did not arrive until 10th - a far more typical date. The 12th enjoyed a bumper Blackcap arrival involving 68 individuals, with similar numbers passing through the following two days. Light spring thrush passage between 2-4th involved peaks of 34 Redwing, 3 Fieldfare and 4 Ring Ouzel.
Common Redstart started to brighten up the island's fence lines from 4th, making the way for near daily sightings around Millcombe, Quarries and even North West Point on one occasion! The first Pied Flycatcher of the year put in an appearance on 7th, with four different individuals (three male and one female) passing through over the subsequent three days. The first Tree Pipit were logged on 8th, with two passage migrants picked up on call over the Airfield during census, a single was also recorded over the Church on 10th. A female Yellow Wagtail on 8th and Whinchat on 10th also made for welcome appearances.
There's been a pleasant passage of Hawfinch from 2nd, including a female ringed in Millcombe on 10th! The finch fest continued that day with both a female Greenfinch and two Bullfinch (male and female) occurring in Millcombe, and a single Siskin logged the day prior. A male Brambling was located at Pondsbury on 2nd, lingering around the south coast until 6th. Records of a female and different male then followed on the 8th and 10th respectively.
Ringed Plover present from 1st, remained faithful to Kistvaen Pond (near Rocket Pole) throughout, with sporadic and brief expeditions to Pondsbury. Additional wader interest included a passage Curlew on 4th, a Redshank calling along the east coast on 6th, a Grey Plover over Ackland's Moor on 7th, five Common Sandpiper on 10th and Dunlin sporadically up to 7th, peaking at six on 1st. Black-headed Gull were recorded daily in the Landing Bay up to 9th, involving two adult and five first-summer birds. Puffin counts in recent days have reached 171 birds, many of which on land at Jenny's Cove and The Battery. A single Great Northern Diver was recorded off Jenny's Cove on 3rd and the ever-present offshore Gannet reached highs of 31 on 9th.
Hawfinch in the hand, 10 Apr